1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an information device operating in accordance with operation through an operating panel thereof and access from other devices connected to the information device over a network, an image forming apparatus serving as an information device of this kind, and a computer readable storage medium for a computer program executed in such an image forming apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
Information devices called Multi-Functional Peripherals (MFPs) or multifunction devices are used for business. Such an MFP has recently been equipped with functions such as copying and network printing, which are functions as an image forming apparatus, and also equipped with many other functions such as image input (scanning), facsimile transmission/reception, electronic mail message transmission/reception, document retention. Such an MFP is generally connected to a network used by users. The MFP operates in accordance with access from computers operated by the individual users, and operation performed by the individual users through an operating panel of the MFP.
The operating panel of the MFP has a display configured to display many operating screens. Such a display typically has a size of approximately 8 inches on the diagonal (resolution level of 480×200 dots). The display is configured to display sharp images to the extent that a user can use the display for browsing Web sites on the Internet. The user appropriately operates operation buttons in operating screens displayed on the operating panel, so that he/she can select his/her desired function from among many functions of the MFP, and designates operation relating to the selected function.
As to the usability of an image forming apparatus such as an MFP and a printer, a conventional art has been proposed in which a user of the image forming apparatus is identified, and an operating environment and operation of the image forming apparatus are automatically set based on the user identification in order to save the user from a burden of making the same settings on the image forming apparatus every use thereof. A printer described in JP-A-2006-231760 stores, for each user, setting values of items such as a color of an operating screen, accessibility, and language. With the printer, an operating environment is automatically changed to another environment depending on a user identified in the printer. According to the description of JP-A-2006-231760, a computer connected to the printer over a network gives a command to make settings to the printer. An MFP described in US 2009/0310180 A1 stores, thereinto, addresses of computers used on the network corresponding to users, accesses a computer corresponding to a user identified by the MFP to obtain setting information on the computer, and makes settings on the MFP based on the obtained setting information. The document US 2009/0310180 A1 describes obtaining information on computer desktop to make settings on the background color and the character color of an operating screen of the MFP, and obtaining setting information on a Web browser installed on the computer so as to make settings on a Web browser of the MFP.
Assume that an MFP is directly operated by a user of an information processing apparatus, connected to the MFP, such as a personal computer or a mobile information terminal. In such a case, the user can easily use the MFP if the MFP and the information processing apparatus have a lot in common in terms of system environment for operation. For example, when the user browses Web pages by using an operating panel of the MFP, it is preferable that the user can use, in the MFP, software of which the name is the same as a Web browser of the information processing apparatus familiar with him/her. If usability of the software depends on the version, it is more preferable that the product name and version of the software is the same between the MFP and the information processing apparatus. According to the MFP described in US 2009/0310180, settings on the MFP are made based on setting information of a computer, and consequently, a part of an operating environment of the MFP is made common to that of the computer. However, at a time when a user operates the MFP directly, a computer corresponding to the user has to be connected to a network and to be accessible. Otherwise, it is impossible to provide a common operating environment to the MFP and the computer.